Superheater header



Sept. 29, 1925.- n 1,555,015

c. K. LASSITER ET AL SUPERHEATE'R HEADER Filed April '5, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jdz'zw ffzivdervafer Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,015

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tween different portions of the header,

Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COLUMBUS K. LASSITER AND JULIUS KINDEBVIATER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; ANNIE FRANCES LASSITER ADMINISTRATOR- OF SAID COLUMBUS K. LASSI'IER, DECEASED.

SUPERHEATER HEADER.

Application filed April 5, 1921. Serial No. 458,793.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CoLUMBUs K. LAS- srrnn and JULrUs Kinnnnvn'rnn, citizens of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented new and useful 11nprovcments in Superheater Headers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to headers or steam collectors for super-heaters and particularly locomotive superheaters of that type wherein the header or collector is provided with saturated steam and superheated steam chambers or compartments communicating respectively with the dry pipe and steam chest supply pipes and with the receiving and delivery ends of superheater pipes or units arranged in lines (fire tubes) so as to be heated by the gases of combustion from the boiler.

One object of the invention is to provide a header having a novel construction and arrangement of the saturated and super heated steam compartments whereby the conducting capacity of the header is increased without sacrificing compactness, and with the advantage that a greater number of superheater pipes or units may be connected therewith than is possible with headers of the types heretofore in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a header which is simple of construction, reliable and eflicient in operation, capa' ble of being easily and economically made and assembled with its cooperating parts in the locomotive, and which allows all parts to be conveniently reached for disassemblage, repairs or other purposes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a header which allows more direct and freer flow of steam, which is rigid and staunch in construction and free from structural parts liable to cause deleterious strains due to temperature differences be and which also obviates liability of heat losses from heat exchange between such portions of the header.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred form of embodiment of the invention,

Figure l is a partial vertical longitudinal central section through the front part of a locomotive boiler, showing the application of the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section thereof, the plane of section through the header being indicated by the line 22 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the header.

Figure t is a fragmentary horizontal sec tion thereof.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the smokebox, 2 the front tube sheet, 3 the vertical rows of smoke tubes, lthe superheater tubes or units, 5 the improved header or collector constructed in accordance with the present invention, and 6 one of the two steam supply pipes leading from the header to the steam chests. The superheater tubes or units are arranged as usual in vertical rows, and each tube or unit has an inlet end 7 for admission of the saturated steam thereto and an outlet end 8 for discharge of the superheated steam therefrom.

The header 5 comprises a body of generally oblong rectangular formin plan and constructed as a whole of an integral casting. It is preferably arranged, as shown, horizontally in and across the fire-box above the level of the smoke tubes and may be supported in position in any suitable. manner. It is provided with any suitable number of compartments for saturated and superheated steam,'according to the size of the locomotive on which it is to the number of superheater tubes or units which are to be connected therewith, at least one superheated steam compartment and one saturated steam compartment being essential; In the present instance the header is shown as having four unitary or separately formed steam compartments 9, 10, 11 and 12, the compartments 9 and 11 being saturated steam compartments and the compartments l0 and 12 superheated steam compartments. The saturated and superheated steam compartments are arranged one in advance of the other, and at the same or substantially the same horizontal level, and said saturated and superheated steam compartments alternate in arrangement with each other for proper connection and cooperation with the superheater tubes or units.

be employed and ,thereof and thereby providing a F culates back and forth For the purpose of securing certain important advantages in simplicity of structure, ease of manufacture and operating efficiency, the several compartments 9, 10,11 and 12 are disposed in spaced relationship and each compartment is formed complete in itself and comprises in its structural organization front and rear walls, end walls, a top wall and a bottom wall. As shown, iowever, the bottom walls of all the compartments comprise component parts of a bottom plate 13 which constitutes the base of the header rigidly uniting all the parts header of great strength and durability. It will be observed that the compartments are straight and parallel with each other throughout their lengths, and that each compartment forms a. steam chamber which is continuous from end to end thereof, that is, devoid of cross partitions of any character subdividing it into separate branches or steam chambers. By constructing the compartments in @this manner simplicity of design and manufacture is obtained, inasmuch as the straight and parallel relationship of the compartments permits of ease in molding or casting and ensures uniform section of metal, while the flow of steam through the compartments is freer and more direct than in prior header structures in which the compartments are sub-divided by cross Walls into a plurality of chambers through which the steam ciror more or less indirectly. Moreover, by the elimination of cross walls or partitions, the temperature and pressure strains to which the header is subjected in service are reduced to a minimum, the temperature and pressures more evenly transmitted. throughout the header, and liability of warping or fracture prevented or reduced to a very large degree.

The compartments are provided .in their bottom portions with openings for the connection of the ends of the superheater pipes or units therewith, and each compartment is made of a proper width or cross-sectional area with regard to its required steam ca- :pacity according to the number of rows of openings which are formed therein and aggregate number of the ends of the superheater pipes connected therewith. As shown the-saturatedsteam compartments 9 and 11 are provided with rows of openings lt for connection with the inlet ends 7 of the superheater pipes 4, while the superheated steam compartments 10 and 12 are provided with rows of openings 15 for the connection of theoutlet ends 8 of the superheater pipes therewith. The compartments 9 and 12, as shown, are made of limited cross-sectional area or single width and provided each with a singlerow of openings 14 and 15, respectively, for respective connection therewith of the inlet and delivery ends of aidefinite number of the superheater pipes. Each of the compartments 10 and 11, on the other hand, is of twice the cross-sectional area of the compartments 9 and 12, or of double Width, and each of said compartments 10 and 11 is provided with. two rows of openings, the compartment 10 having two rows of openings 15 for connection wit-h the outlet ends and the compartment 11 two rows of openings 14 for connection with the inlet ends of a definite number of the superheater pipes. The relative areas of the compartments may, however, be varied as occasion requires and according to any desired numer grouping of the tubes with respect to the sets ofcompartments. The openings 1-&

and 15 extend through the bottom plate 13 in longitudinalrows along the length of the steam compartments and are also properly arranged in transverse rows throughout the several compartments, thus allowing the ends of the superheater pipes to be a ranged in compact order and conveniently disposed for application, removal and repairs. It will be seen that in the use of four steam compartments 9, 10, 11 and 12, constructed and arranged as described, six openings l t and 15, equally divided in number, are provided in each transverse row. Hence by disposing the inlet and outlet ends 7 and 8 of each tube so that one tube end lies immediately in rear of the other tube end, each transverse row of tube openings lat and 15 will accommodate the inlet and outlet ends 7 and 8 of three superheater tubes of a vertical group or row in such manner that the inlet and outlet ends of each tube may be fitted in two adjoining openings 14l5 of a transverse row and so as to be properly connected with the alternately arranged saturated and superheated steam compart ments. Such fitting of the ends 78 of each tube in adjoining openings 1415 adapts the ends of each superheater unit to be held in position by a single transverse fastening, such as a clamp 16, secured in place by a bolt 17, upon the detachment of which single clamp the super-heater unit is released for removal. As shown in Figure 1, the clamps 16 which secure the ends 7-8 of the three tubes connected with each transverse row of openings 1 115, may be arranged in longitudinal alinement in a transverse row or series on the underside of the header for convenience in applying or removing the sub-group of three tubes so arranged and fastened iniplace. Moreover, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, by disposing the tubes vertically edgewise, i. e., with their backwardly and forwardly extending limbs in superimposed relation and alternately arranging the superposed tubesof a vertical group or row in rights and lefts in the fines 3, that is, so that the ends 7-8 of one tube will lie one in rear of the other and extend from the right hand side of the tube, while the ends 78 of the immediately overlying or underlying tube will similarly lie one in rear of the other and extend from the left hand side of the latter-named tube, the ends 7-8 of alternate tubes of a vertical group or row will be offset from each other so as to lie close to each other but in different parallel vertical planes. By thus arranging the tubes of a main Vertical group in two right and left hand subdivisions, the tubes of such subdivisions alternating in arrangement with each other, the left hand tube ends of one subdivision of a group may be fitted in one transverse row of openings 14-15 in the header, while the righthand tube ends of the othersubdivision of the same group will lie in such close relationship to the tube ends of the first'named sub divisions of the group that they may be fitted in the next adjoining row of transverse openings 1115 in the header. From this it will be seen that two closely related transverse rows of openings 1 -15 in the header will accommodate the ends of six superheater tubes, the described construction and arrangement of parts therefore allowing tubes in vertical rows or groups, of as many as six tubes to a row or group, to be used in a compact manner and with a very compact form of header. Furthermore, such an arrangement of the super-heater tubes permits the tubes and their receiving openings in the header to be so relatively placed that the tube ends may be extended at their extremities on straight vertical lines for connection with their pairs of tube end receiving openings in the header, with a minimum degree of bending of the tube ends in any direction and without the necessity of crossing the tube ends or bending them in any other than an upward direction for a fitting connection, making them easy of application and removal, and reducing time, labor and expense in their application and removal. Still another advantage arising from the described construction of the header and arrangement of the tubes is that any tube in a row in rear of a tube whose ends are outermost may be reached for removal or repairs upon removal of the pre ceding tube or tubes in the same row whose ends are outwardly beyond the ends of the tube in question and without the necessity of removing any other tube in rear thereof in the same row, or of removing one or more tubes of an adjoining vertical row, as is necessary either where the tube ends are not connected to successive tube receiving openings in a row of openings or where they are connected to tube receiving openings in two adjoining rows of openings. By disposing the steam compartments in the manner described spaces or passages 18 are formed therebetween and therows of holes for the bolts 17 may be formed in the bottom plate 13 so as to communicate with these spaces or passages, allowing of the ready and convenient application and removal of the bolts as occasion requires.

The saturated steam compartments 9 and 11 are in communication at their top portions, and at a point centrally of their length, with an inlet conductor 19, which arches over the intervening superheated steam compartment 10, said passage 19 terminating at its rear end in an inlet neck 20 of a suitable form for connection with the dry pipe A, whereby the saturated steam flows from the steam space of the boiler to the satu *ated steam compartments 9 and 11 for circulation through the superheater pipes at. The bottom wall 21 of this inlet conductor 19, which extends over the top wall of the compartment 10, is separated from the latter by an air space 22. The superheated steam compartments 10 and 12 are connected on opposite sides oft-he inlet conductor 19 with discharge conductors 23, having outlet ends 2a of suitable form for respective connection with the steam chest supply pipes 6 leading to the steam chests at the opposite sides of the locomotive. These conductors 23 arch over the intervening saturated steam compartment 11 and their bottom walls 25 are separated from the top wall of said compartment 11 by air spaces 26. It will be observed from the foregoing that the conductors 19 and 23 are castintegral with the walls of the compartments with which they are connected and cooperate with the bottom plate 13 to rigidly unite all parts of the header, thus securing maximum strength and durability in the header construction. Also it will be observed that as said conductors are separated by air spaces from the compartments over which they arch, undue variations of temperatures between the compartments and loss of heat from the superheated steam due to heat exchange between the superheated steam and the saturated steam will be avoided or reduced to the minimum. Hence the header is not liable to become warped in service or to be subjected to uneven or ununiform temperature and pressure changes liable to cause fractures or other deleterious effects, and consequently a high degree of working efficiency is secured.

In the operation of the header, it will of course be apparent that the saturated steam from the supply pipe enters the conductor 19 and flows therefrom into the saturated steam compartments 9 and 11, thence through the superheater pipes or units 4, and from said pipes or units into the superheated steam compartments out through the conductors 23 into the steam chest supply pipes 6 for delivery to the chests of the workingcylinders at the opposite sides of the locomotive; The various saturated and superheated steam, compartments straight and parallel and entirely uninterrupted throughout their lehgths, it will be obvious that the steam may flow easily and *using a lesser or greater number of compartinents. lVith the construction shown, a header having a sufficient number of compartments for locomotives of even larger size and having, if required, more than six superheater pipes in each vertical row may be employed without objectionably increasing the size of the header or unduly extending it forwardlywithin the smoke-box. Inthis respecta great advantage is gained over ordinary headers .wliich, whether of one-piece or two-piece formation, provide only for connection with rows of tubes limited to an arrangement of four'tubes in each vertical row. Astill further advantage of our improved construction is that the described arrangement of the bolt holes 17 per- 'mits of the use of shorter clamping bolts,

and these holes as wellfas the tube holes 14 and 15 may be drilled with a jig, ensuring proper relation one to theother and avoiding any irregular spacing.

Having thus fully describedour invention, we claim 1. In a superheater, a header comprising a unitary casting of oblong rectangular form in plan and embodying a plurality of pairs of longitudinally straight saturated and superheated steam compartments, said compartments being of unitary formation and separate from and independent of connection with each other except at the base and each composed of integral top, side and end walls, the adjacent side walls of the compartments being spaced by longitudinal channels extending from end to end of the header, and a base plate of unitary construction integral with said walls of the compartments and closing the bottoms thereof and having portions bridging across and closing the bottoms of said channels; the portions of the base plate forming the bottom walls of the compartments being provided with an even number of longitudinal rows of tube receiving openings communicating withthe compartments, said openings being name; i;

being also arrangedvjin transverse, rowsv of even number acrosszthe series of comparte ments, and said bridging portions of the base plate being ,providedwith longitudinal rows of bolt receiving openings communi-v nels, a baseplate integral with the walls of the compartments and extending continuously acrossthe compartments and channels and closing the bottoms of said compartments and bases of the cha-nnels,the said saturated andsuperheated steam compartments alternating in arrangementwith each other from the front to the rear. of the header, the bottom walls of the compartments formed by the plate portions. being provided with lon itudinal rows of tube receiving openings, said rows also-extending in transverse rows acrossthe series of compartments, and the bottoms of the channels formed by the plate portions being-provided with longitudinal rows of; bolt receiving openings alining with .the transverse rows :of' tubereceiving openings, aasaturated steam inlet extending from the rear in a plane parallel With the horizontal planeof'the header and communicating with the .topsof the sat-. urated steamcompartments, the bottom wall of said steam inlet being integral with the front side wall of the rear sat-urated steam compartment and rear side wall of the front saturated steam compartment and'arching over and thermally insulated from the top of the intervening superheated steam compartment, and superheated steam outlets having their inlet ends overlying and communicating withthe tops of thesuperheated steam compartments, said steam outlets; ex tending forwardly therefrom across the header, the bottom wallsvof saidsuperheated steam outlets being integral with the rear side wall of the front superheated steam compartment and front side wall of the-rear superheated steam compartment, and arching over and vthermally insulated from the intervening saturated steam compartment.

3. In a-superheater, a header having two pairs of saturated and superheated steam compartments extending longitudinally of the header, said saturated and superheated steam compartments alternating in arrangement with each other, a saturated steam inlet extending from the rear in a planeparal-. lel with the horizontal: plane. of the header Hit) over the header and communicating with the tops of the saturated steam compartments, and arching over and separated from the top of the intervening superheated steam compartment, and superheated steam outlets having their inlet ends overlying and communicating with the tops of the superheated steam compartments and extending forwardly therefrom across the header, and arching over and separated from the top of the intervening saturated steam compartment. 1

4. In a superheater, a header having two pairs of unitary saturated and superheated steam compartments extending longitudinally of the header, said saturated and superheated steam compartments being separate from and independent of each other and alternating in arrangement with each other, the adjacent walls of said chambers being spaced apart, a saturated steam inlet extending from the rear in a plane parallel with the horizontal plane of the header and com municating with the tops of the saturated steam compartments, the bottom wall of said steam inlet being integral with the front side wall of the rear saturated steam compartment and rear side wall of the front saturated steam compartment and arching over and thermally insulated from the top of the intervening superheated steam compartment, and superheated steam outlets having their inlet ends overlying and communicating with the tops of the superheated steam compartments, said steam outlets extending forwardly therefrom across the header, the bottom walls of said superheated steam outlets being integral with the rear side wall of the front superheated steam compartment and front side Wall of the rear superheated steam compartment, and arching over and thermally insulated from the intervening saturated steam compartment.

5. In a superheater, the combination of a boiler having a vertical row of at least six superheater tube smoke flues and a group of at least six superheater tubes arranged one above the other in said flues in substantially the same vertical plane, each tube having end portions arranged one in advance of the other, the tubes of the group being disposed in two equal subdivisions, the tubes of one subdivision having their end portions extending from their left hand sides and arranged one in advance of the other in one vertical plane and the tubes of the other subdivision having their end portions extending from their right hand sides and arranged one in advance of the other in a different vertical plane, said planes being close to and parallel with each other and said tubes of the two subdivisions alternating in arrangement with each other throughout the group, and a header provided with a series of four steam compartments arranged one in advance of the other and comprising two saturated steam compartments and two superheated steam compartments, said saturated and superheated steam compartments alternating in arrangement with each other from rear to front of the header, said compartments having rows of superheater tube end receiving openings arranged in at least two parallel transverse rows, each successive two tube openings in each transverse row constituting a working pair to receive the front and rear alined ends of a tube, one transverse row of tube end receiving openings connecting with the left hand tube ends of one tube group subdivision in one vertical row of fines and the other transverse row of tube end receiving openings connecting with the right hand tube ends of the other tube group subdivision in the same vertical row of flues.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

COLUMBUS K. LASSITER. JULIUS KINDERVATER. 

